Once Upon a Time in a Bowling Alley
by suspenders
Summary: Summer,1974. Edward meets Bella at the park and they bond over a sweaty game of handball. After trials and tragedies things come to a climax when they admit their love in a bowling alley. An Entry into the Age of Edward Contest. AH, OOC.


**Age of Edward Contest**

**Title: Once Upon a Time in a Bowling Alley**

**Your pen name: Suspenders**

**Type of Edward: 70's Edward**

**June 18****th****, 1974**

It's hotter'n hell out in the park today. I am here with my best friend Rosie and her brother Jasper. We're drinking and playing handball because it's a Tuesday and we can. When you live on Long Island in a town called Wantagh you are pretty limited in your options for activity. My friends and I are practiced delinquents and today we are in fine form. I am bouncing a ball and focusing pretty fucking hard as I try to tell if it's got any play left in it or if it's dead. I hear the gate to the court squeak and I look up to see what's going down.

Sweet Jesus, who is that walking onto my handball court?

I glance down at my watch, 1:23 PM. This already seems like a moment I'm going to want to remember. I am not bullshitting when I say the most gorgeous man I've ever seen is strolling towards the park fence wearing a 1973 Led Zeppelin tour shirt and a pair of worn to shit bell bottoms. His hair is shaggy and hanging in his face while his hand is flexing around a rubber ball. His face is covered in a beard and his eyes are covered by sun glasses but his attractiveness is flailing in the wind. Charging in behind him is a beast of a man, walking into my park like he owns the fucking place. I turn to my right to see Rosie lifting her tits and adjusting her pants before she saunters over to the big one.

"Where are you going Rosie?"

"Bella you're great and all but I'm going to check out the new guy."

"Fine go, fucking flat leaver."

She turns and blows me a kiss before attaching herself onto the beast's hip. Beast obviously doesn't mind her attention, he'd be a fool to turn her away. She's blonde and leggy and drives a cherry red Corvette that caused spontaneous human jizzbustion among the male population.

I return my attention back to my own personal Jimmy Page only to find him glaring at me. Not one to back down I quirk an eyebrow and look towards the ball in Jimmy's hand.

"You play?" He nods at me. He's staring and nodding. Bullshit. I hold his gaze and slowly approach him.

"Let me guess. Deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean handball." By the time I finish my sentence my hand is covering his ball, my fingers brushing his. Suddenly and without warning, his whole face lights up with a ridiculous crooked smile. If I had been wear underwear they would have been toast. He pushes the ball into my hand and breaks his silence.

"You serve first."

"Right on Jimmy."

"My name is not Jimmy."

"That's nice. You better get into position _Jimmy_, I don't have all day and I have an ass to kick." Behind me I can hear Jasper's distinct snickering and Rosie muttering, "Burn." Damn fucking straight.

Rosie encourages from the sideline, "Knock him out CT!"

As promised he positions himself toward the back of the court while I plant my feet at the serve line.

I bounce the ball on the ground a few times before the palm of my hand connects with the fleshy center of the rubber. The ball hits the wall hard and we are on our way.

The next 45 minutes pass in a sweaty blur. There is running and rubbing and sweating and brushing and grunts and moans and pain and aggression. It feels an awful like foreplay.

After a grueling game my hand is throbbing and I am sweating like a fucking a pig and there is no way I am going to let the deaf, dumb, blind kid win on my court. It's my game point for the 4th time and I take a deep breath before serving the ball. Edward returns it skillfully and as I run for the ball I focus all of my aim and aggression into my hand. The moment I'm in contact with the ball I know I've won.

There it is. A killer.

The ball hits the magic spot where the wall almost meets the ground and the resulting silence is music to my ears. The ball is gracefully rolling away from the wall towards Jimmy's foot and I can't help but smile.

I don't acknowledge Jimmy as I walk past him and grab some ground near the fence. I am still breathing hard and sweating harder but I manage to focus my eyes on Jimmy's approaching form. His hair his damp and dark with sweat. His t-shirt is clinging to his torso and in an effort to leave me high and dry he pulls the dick move of the year. He catches me staring and holds my gaze while he slowly peels his t-shirt from his body.

And they call me a CT.

His muscles are lean and well defined. The sweat is rolling down his abs and he is simply beautiful. Once his shirt has finally left his body I allow myself a glance at his long toned arms. I am not disappointed. I finally bring my eyes back to his face and the bastard is smirking. I flip him off and offer him a seat next to me. God must be feeling generous today, Jimmy takes me up on my offer. His velvet words fall from his full lips.

"You play well. Edward Cullen." He holds his hand out and I shake it. We hold on for a little more than necessary while I find my voice.

"Bella Swan."

"May I ask you a question Bella Swan?"

"Sure." Jasper passes me his doobie and I gladly take a hit in preparation for his mystery question.

"What does CT stand for?" Blood rushes to my cheeks and I just know if I don't spit out the answer someone else will. Deciding I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to live up to my nickname I scoot closer to Edward. My lips are so close to his ear I can almost taste what he's hearing. I go for broke and flick my tongue out over his fine earlobe. While he's still mid shiver I whisper, "cock tease."

Over the next two months Edward and I become pretty good friends. We hang out with the group everyday either at the park or Rosie's house. He joined Jasper's band, playing the drums. He was a sight to behold when he played. Arms flexing, face determined, he had rhythm and beat pouring off him in waves.

We kept things on the friends level, never moving beyond hand holding or couch lounging. There were loaded looks though, winks and smiles that held the promise of something more. Our handball games were the closest we ever got to physical intimacy. While we enjoyed playing against one another we quickly found we were unstoppable as a team. We moved fluidly across the court, never in each other's way. If I reached for a ball and missed he was always behind me to get it and I always gladly returned the favor. He took to calling me CT as the rest of my friends did and I in turn call him the same.

**August 23****rd****, 1974**

I am sitting in Rosie's basement sparking a joint when there is a knock at the door. As I finally get within answering distance the knocking becomes insistent, almost violent. I pull the door open only to find Edward freaking out on the other side. I immediately wonder if he's hopped up on some bad shit but the look in his eye indicates an altered state of sadness not transcendence.

"I need you Bella." He implores while wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me into a hug. He used my name instead of CT so I know this is real. I am close enough to his body to feel every muscle and each one of them is shaking. Now I'm scared.

"Edward…" Then he drops the bomb.

"I went to my sister's room to borrow some money. I opened the door and found her on the floor unconscious. I tried to wake her. God I thought she was dead. I was yelling her name and she just laid there. I called the police, she's in the hospital. We need to go. I need you to come with me. Oh God Bella, I don't know what she took but, Bella.." He lets it all out and takes a lung filling shaky breath.

"Okay, Edward. Let me get my shoes. Are you alright to drive?" He nods and I haul ass to fill Rosie in on the basics and grab my thongs and pocket book.

I return to find Edward looking broken. I find his head hanging low, body visibly trembling, and his breath sounding strained. I approach him and swiftly take him into my arms again. He collapses into me and I can feel the sobs overtaking his soul. Tears stream soundlessly down my face as I try desperately to take some of his pain from him. I tighten my grip around his waist and whisper into his ear, "I'm here for you."

He nods again and grabs my hand before he disengages from my embrace and leads me to his 69 Shelby Convertible.

The ride to the hospital is quiet but intimate as he is gripping my hand tightly the entire way. We walk inside and Edward stops unable to go further. Since the ambulance left his house with his sister he has had no word of her condition. I take his hesitance as a push and I walk up to the admittance desk.

"I'm here to see Maggie Cullen ." My voice was barely audible and the big titted woman behind the counter couldn't look less interested if she tried.

"Sorry sweetie, family only." Family only, that is much better than dead.

"I'm here with her brother." I indicate Edward and she slides her glasses down her nose in inspection before indicating her acquiescence.

"Room 413." My smile was inappropriately large but my level of relief was too high to be contained.

Edward doesn't look up at me as I approach and he manages to squeak out, "Is she?"

"She's in Room 413." I squeeze his hand and his head snaps up to look at me. His relief is intense and the speed with which he is able to take me into his arms is breathtaking.

"Thank you Bella." He whispers in my ear before gently kissing the skin just below it. I shiver and nuzzle my head into his chest in response. I am just now realizing how good my friend smells and my level of arousal is completely inappropriate for the setting and circumstances.

Our march towards Room 413 feels surreal and creepy and more than a little skeevy. There are sick people littering the hallways like pebbles on the sidewalk. I am probably exaggerating this a little because hospitals gross me out and I have an unhealthy fear of people throwing up.

Edward has discovered his strength and is leading us down the hall. I am so grateful he has taken over as I am so filled to the brim with agida I can barely breath. This whole situation is just so heavy it makes me want to turn and run to the nearest handball court and play until my palm bleeds. Just as I am plotting my great escape, Steve McQueen style, Edward squeezes my sweaty hand a little harder and looks over his shoulder. It's like the dweeb can read my mind, like he just fuckin' knew I was flippin' my shit back here. Just like he expected, his look is enough to steel my resolve and I pick up my speed to take my place next Edward.

Here it is, Room 413. Any buzz I was clinging to from Rosie's stash flat left me for the man down the hall snarfing pills like a Valley of Dolls misfit. This is real. We are standing in front of the door like it's going to do a magic trick and I know I need to take over again. I'm shaking like a porn star in withdrawals and I hear Edward chuckle beside me.

"Something funny?"

"What are you singing?"

"I wasn't singing anything." Shit. When I'm nervous I sing.

"You were too. Was it The Carpenters?" He is giggling at me again and if I didn't like his damn smile so much I would be pulling his lip up and over his perfect hair.

"Shut the fuck up man. Carpenters are genius." Seeing his disbelief I sing louder.

"RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS ALWAAAAAAAYS GET ME DOWN!!!" He slaps his hand over my mouth and I'm proud of myself when a full smile blooms beneath his coppertoned beard.

Some of the tension is gone and I pull Edward into the hospital room. There, lying in a hospital bed is Edward's sister. There are tubes coming out of every orifice and there are machines beeping like God damned atomic bombs and I feel like I am going to pass out. She looks so pale. Nothing like the strong woman I thought I knew. The Maggie I know has a promising job in a recording studio in the city, she's funny and smart and pretty. This is a stranger pretending to be her. I suppose resembling death warmed over is better than being dead so I am grateful for that much.

Once the initial shock is over I realize I'm standing in a room with a girl who overdosed on pills and all I want to do is spark a joint and find a happy place. Somehow I am sure asking for a toke in this room would go over about as well as a fart in church. I am ashamed of my own thoughts. They should be serious and focused on the broken girl lying before me or her beautiful brother who appears to be in so much pain I want to cut my own ear off.

Edward is talking to the doctors now and I only catch every other word. It's enough to know if he hadn't found her we would be in the morgue. The doctor is suggesting rehab and my eyes bug out of my face. I didn't know his sister was an addict. I am trippin' balls as I am standing here listening to this and feeling like I shouldn't be here. Where is his mother? She should be here not me.

As if someone were listening, a woman vaguely resembling Edward comes barreling through the door crying and asking for her baby. I see Edward tense and give her a look that screamed for her to go away. I now know I have entered the Twilight Zone because Edward has grabbed his mother's wrist and is asking her where she was and if she was with that man. I try to go to my happy place, I imagine sitting on the floor as a kid watching Barnabus Collins in all his Dark Shadows vampire glory, unfortunately Edward is still staring at his mother like she's Rosemary's baby.

"Well Mom, at least you had enough sense not to bring him. The doctor said she'll be alright but they're going to put her in a rehab clinic. You're here now so I'm leaving." His eyes have gone from green to black and I fear for my hand a little as he latches on and pulls me out of Room 413.

Edward is silent as we head to his car and I'm a pussy so I don't ask him about what I just witnessed. Clearly Edward and I are not as close as I might have thought.

We're in his car and the top is down. His bronze hair is flying in the wind and the sun is making him sparkle. The shattered look on his face makes him look like the saddest little boy I have ever seen. I want to hold him and tell him it will be alright. I want to give him my entire record collection if it will make the haunted look in his eyes go away.

The car is stopping and I see we have found our way to the park. We start walking to the swings and he offers me a cigarette. He lights it and I suck on it like it contains the key to eternal life. The smoke burns and calms and I am almost ready to speak again.

We each take a swing and thank the fucking lord Edward speaks first.

"Fuck, man." I don't mind admitting I was hoping for a little more than that.

"Edward, I don't know what to say. Do you want to talk about any of that? There was some pretty heavy shit going on there." I was swinging on my swing in pace with Edward, the childishness of the act seemed to belittle the events of the evening.

"It's getting cold out here, let's head to my place, spark one up, and I'll tell you everything there is to know."

Sitting in his basement is comfortable. The shag carpet is orange and the coffee table is shiny. Edward has a shoebox in his lap and he's pulling out a dime bag and some rolling papers. His long graceful tongue is licking the edge of the paper and I want to suck on it. Despite our lack of physical intimacy there has never been a lack of tension between us. He finishes rolling the doobie and lights it before passing it my way.

The black light is on and The Who is playing. We're high and taking a moment to giggle and enjoy each other's company before we get into the events of the evening. I look at Edward and he is staring off into the distance, I crawl into his lap and wait for him to speak.

"She's an addict Bella, pills and shit. She's been struggling with it for years. She was on a cocaine binge for a while. She used to mix it into her morning coffee. Imagine my surprise when I went in for some, I was 9." I gasp because that shit is fucked.

"This is not the first time she's OD'd, it's just the worst. My mother, she's been ignoring it for as a long as I can remember. She's been too busy fucking some asshole who is not my father. It's kind of funny now, but my sister and I found out when we walked in on them watching a reel of porn and screwing. My poor Dad has had no idea. He works so much to provide for us, he's never really been around." He drops his head and the words leave my mouth before I have the opportunity to censor them.

"My Mom left me and my sister when I was three. My Dad has trouble paying bills so we move when the collectors come knockin. He loves us and has done so much for us, he took us to the Worlds Fair in 64, he just can't seem to get his shit together. "

"Well aren't we a dynamic duo."

I am looking into Edwards red rimmed green eyes and there are sparks shooting off all around us. Our eyes stay locked and he's moving painfully slow towards me. He glances at my lips for the shortest of moments before he touches his nose to mine. He is running his nose along the side of mine and now I can feel his beard on my face. I know he is about to kiss me but I want to ask him if he would mind rubbing his face along the inside of my thigh. Edward's breath is hot in my mouth and I almost burst into tears when his lips touch mine. In an award winning move Edward sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and my tongue can't get to his fast enough.

Now I'm straddling him and I am kissing him so deeply I can tell he still has tonsils. The kissing is heavy and luxurious and I'm rubbing myself against his dick, the friction is magic and I want to cry again. I can feel his hands running up my sides and his thumbs have finally found my nipples. My hands are in his hair and I start to smell something burning. It must be my awesome dry humping skills. I continue to grind into his wickedly erect cock and I smell it again. Either the fucking weed is making me paranoid or something is on fire. The saddest moment in my life is happening right now and I'm pushing away from Edward to investigate the smell.

"Holy Mary Mother of God." I turn to see not a fire but a steady smolder as the joint we lit is slowly burning a hole into the shiny coffee table. I lunge for it and grab it before it can inflict any more damage onto the pretty lacquered finish. Edward is laughing so hard I think he just pissed his pants and I am so mortified my face is burning like a God damned forest fire.

"Edward I am not telling your Mom I burned a hole in her table with a joint while I was making out with her son."

********************

Labor Day came and went and school started back up. I was always smart but I never really enjoyed going to school. Luckily I'm resourceful. Instead of attending class, most days I focused on my goal in life; bowling in every alley I could get to by train. It was soon going to be too cold and rainy to play handball with any regularity and bowling was second on my list of sports I loved. There was no third on the list.

Edward was of course a super genius under the rock star hair and porn star beard. He almost never skipped with me but that didn't mean we couldn't find time to explore our new touchy feely relationship. Oh and touch and feel we did. We broke the CT barrier about a month into our relationship and before too long we were fucking with the masters.

**November 15****th****, 1974**

It's Friday and instead of going to school I have my sights set on a new bowling alley. I drag myself out of bed early and make my way to Edward's. I climb in through his window and slip under the blanket with him. He immediately seeks me out, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into him. The warmth of his body is intoxicating and I want to live and die in it. His hips push into me and I can feel his hard cock against my thigh. I almost give into the lure that is Edward's penis but I remember why I'm here and I won't be deterred. Who says weed affects memory? I call bullshit.

"Get out of bed Edward. You're not going to school today. I found a new alley. Come on, get up. "

His fingers are scratching his beard and mine immediately get jealous. When they move to his hair my vagina leaps out from under my jeans and waves hello.

"Okay." The shoulders on the bastard are shrugging like he says yes every time I ask him to skip school and play with me. I assure you, he doesn't. In retaliation I squeeze his hard on and stroke a few times before hopping out of bed.

"Okay. Get dressed."

"Fucking Cocktease."

"That sounds like an oxymoron. We are leaving this house in 20 minutes, dig?"

"Yeah I dig."

He pads into the bathroom to get ready and I grab a newspaper off his night stand. My eyes bug when I read the cover story.

"Hey Edward, did you see this story about the DeFeo murders in Amityville?"

******

We are at the bowling alley and I request a lane near the bar. I intend on partaking in the drinks there and I am nothing if not practical. Seeing as it is the middle of a weekday the alley is pretty empty and I wonder if the manager would mind if we slid down the lane once or twice.

Edward decided that today was going to be the day he shaved his beard. I can't stop staring at his face. He was always hot and now he's fucking stunning. His jaw is sharp and strong and I can't stop my hands from reaching up and grabbing his face.

I am holding THE jaw and staring into his eyes and I can feel the air from the ball return blowing on us. I press my forehead to his and tell him he's beautiful. Because he's a genius he decides now is a good time to run his nose along my jaw and up to my ear. He his biting on the lobe and I have to bite my tongue to keep in my groan. His hand is slowly making a trail up my side and fingers are brushing just underneath my breasts. He whispers, "You go first." Before walking away and grabbing a seat.

"Fucking cunt tease."

"Shut the fuck up and bowl Bella." He winks at me and grins and all is forgiven.

We are 6 frames in and I'm up. I have been rolling nothing but splits and shit and I need this to be a strike if I want my score to be in the same universe as Edward's. I take a deep breath, bring my ball up to my chest, and quickly stride towards the line. I release the ball and turn around to face Edward as I wait for it to make contact with the pins.

I am watching Edward's face and his eyes start getting wider and wider. I hear a crash and I can't help but jump at the noise.

"Baby, you did it. Turn around."

I glance over my shoulder in time to see each of the pins ass over elbows on the waxed floor. I run to Edward and he scoops me up into his arms. He is spinning me in a circle and I'm giggling because I just can't help it. He sets me down on the ground and his face is nuzzled into my neck. I can feel his mouth and tongue working a trail to heaven. His teeth bite down just before he says, "I love you."

I am thinking really hard and trying to remember if I took anything that might cause hallucinations. The answer is a resounding no. I pulled his baby's ass smooth face away from my neck to look him in the eye. His green eyes are like something out of a science fiction movie and they are pulling me down into some lovey dovey abyss. My hands are immediately at his hair and I bring his face down to mine. My lips are at his and I tell him I love him too. I can feel him smile on my mouth and it's enough to coax my tongue out of its hidey hole.

My lips are closing around his top one and my teeth nibble at it until he moans into my mouth. His noises go straight to my nerve endings and they take over my brain. I tug on his hair to bring him closer. Being the smart man that he is he starts running his tongue across my bottom lip and I eagerly welcome it. His hands are trailing up and down my back and I can feel his hard on pushing up against me. I know we need to find a more private place because we fucking love each other and now we just need to fuck.

He reads my mind again and starts leading me away from our lane. I don't know where we're going and it just doesn't matter. He could be taking me to the bridge with Captain Kirk for all I cared; James T. can watch us go at it. We reach a door marked Employees Only and I pray he is still in a rule breaking mood. Edward's long perfect fingers are wrapped around the handle and I can't wait until they're wrapped around me again. The door is finally open and before it clicks closed behind us I'm up against the wall.

There is no kissing yet. Edward is pushing me against the wall with his entire body and his cock is so hard against me I think it's going to leave a bruise. Green eyes are staring me down and he is pushing his warm body impossibly closer to mine. Fingertips have found my shoulders and they are slowly trailing down my arms. My fingers thread with his and he brings my arms above my head. His face is so close to mine I can smell his skin and feel his breath. My arms are being held above my head with one his hands and he starts slowly grinding his hips into mine.

I take just a second to absorb our surroundings. We are in the hallway behind the lanes and I get infinitely wetter knowing that there is a room full of unsuspecting bowlers just behind us. Edward drops his head to my neck and the feel of his lips ghosting my skin is so intense I think I'm going to combust. He continues to grind his hips into mine only now I'm grinding back. I can hear the sounds of the bowling alley around us. Pins falling, balls spinning and Edward Cullen moaning into my neck while I rub him into oblivion.

Now he's sucking my neck and whispering my name while the ball return spins and prepares to send the waxed orbs to their rightful owners. The smoothness of his jaw feels foreign and delicious, my will power is gone and I lift his face so I can lick it. Of course he smirks at my impatience before meeting my eyes. Our foreheads are pressed together and he tells me he loves me again. I sigh like a little girl before ravaging his mouth like a big one.

He is kissing me hard and his lips are like velvet. Magic hands find the skin under my shirt. I'm moaning like a damn fool and I can't find it in me to care. He just keeps whispering my name while rubbing his hands along my stomach, sides, back, and breasts. My bra is finally unclasped and he coerces it off my body without taking my shirt off. His mouth is at my nipple and his hot tongue is burning a hole through my shirt.

I don't know when or how it happened but my pants are on the floor and Edward is on the floor with them. He is leaving long wet kisses along the space between my hipbones. My hips are bucking towards him and he responds by pushing me against the wall. I'm looking down at him and holding his gaze while he slides my undies down my legs. He's groaning and telling me I'm beautiful while running his fingers along the outside of my thighs. He is taunting me with his nose and his hair and I am about to crumble in anticipation. My hands are gripping his hair and finally his tongue is running a slow trail up my wet center. Ugh, the tip of his tongue is flicking my clit and his hands are tickling the backs of me knees because he knows what that does to me. The growls emanating from Edward's chest are only rivaled by own. My body is trembling in pleasure and I grip his hair tighter as his name falls from my lips like a prayer.

Clearly proud of himself, he stands before me fully clothed and I take the opportunity to pull his Tommy t-shirt off his body. As if the volume has been turned up I can hear The Carpenters playing over the radio and I'm smiling as I run my tongue over his chest. His breathing is heavy and I am so close to removing those damn bell bottoms I can taste it. My nails are scratching down his abs and I feel him shiver beneath my touch. I bring my lips back to his ear and whisper, "I love you" before devoting all of my attention to a particularly delicious spot on his neck. His head has dropped and is resting on my shoulder and I tell him that I love again because I can.

My hands continue their journey down the trail of hair that leads to my own personal brand of happiness. I'm shaking a little as I undo the button on his jeans but I'm scrappy and determined. The God damned Exorcist demon could not stop me from having Edward inside me in this bowling alley, my new favorite bowling alley. The pants are undone and have fallen from his hips, he has chosen to go commando today and I'm grateful for the reduction in steps. His glorious dick is free and waiting for me, little ole Bella Swan.

I nudge his face up to mine and kiss him like my life depends on it. I keep our tongues entwined while I wrap my legs around Edward's waist. At the moment his cock slips inside me he is sucking on my tongue and I grind my hips in his direction to show my gratitude. The pace is quick, in, out, in, out, but every thrust is thoughtfully placed and is driving me to the edge of a cliff. His lips leave mine and find a new home along my collarbone. I hear his gravelly voice say, "Bella, I want you to come with me."

I say, "I'll go anywhere with you." My name is being moaned in the most sinful of ways and before too long we are coming together. My muscles are tight and his stomach is clenched and we ride this out connected. He thrusts one more time for good measure and our current level of post-coital sensitivity causes us to giggle. He is keeping his head tucked into my neck and as far as I'm concerned he can build a fucking log cabin and stay there indefinitely.

We whisper words of love and worship while our clothes are re-applied to our spent bodies. We decide to leave our hair looking a hot mess. We're not ashamed of what we just did and everyone should know that there are lots of fun things to do at a bowling alley. We stroll out of the Employees Only door and return to our nearly forgotten game.

Edward kicks my ass but I know it's okay because handball season is only a few months away.


End file.
